Process of manufacturing decorative material.



No. 78,607. v Patented Nov. 18, I902.

W. E. COLEMAN.

PROCESS CF MANUFACTURING DECORATIVE MATERIAL.

(Application filed Mat. 25, 1900.]

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WALTER E. COLEMAN, OF NEWDORP, NEW YORK.

FRGCESS O? MANUFACTURlNG DECQRATIVE MATERIAL.

$LEUIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,607, dated November 18, 1902.

Application filed March 28,1900. Serial No- 10,505- (No specimens.)

To a, whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALTER E. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newdorp, Richmond county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in the Process of Manufacturing Decorative Material, of which the following is a specification sufficient to enable others skilled in the artto which the invention appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a new decorative material for panelings, mattings, coverings, and various other uses; and the invention consists in the process of combining an openwork design formed of a material which is non-combustible under ordinary conditions of use with an incombustible backing or binding material in which the design is inlaid, so as to expose it superficially substantially as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the surface of a portion of decorative material made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section upon plane of line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a view of a portion of woven fabric shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4, a View of another form of woven fabric which may be embedded in the plastic material. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification of the material in which the design is composed of strips bent into the required shape. Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the design shown in Fig. 5 before it is embedded in the plastic composition.

In the drawings the designs or patterns D are represented as of simple open structure for convenience of illustration. As a matter of fact any design or pattern no matter how complicated, provided it has spaces or interstices 2' between its parts, may be employed. Thus woven metallic wire, woven thread coated electrically with metal, or a plaited or woven design of any non-combustible mate rial may be used, or the design may consist of strips of non-combustible material bent into shape as in Fig. 5, the essential feature being a design executed in material which is practicallyincombustible underordinary conditions of use. This heat-resisting design is embedded in a suitable binding composition While the latter is in a comparatively soft or 1 plastic state, said binding composition being forced into the spaces or interstices 2' in such manner as to leave the edge of the design exposed and produce the general effect of what is known as inlaid work, the several parts of the design being firmly secured in position by the subsequent hardening or setting of the binding composition. The binding composition B, which is thus made to constitute the backing or body of the decorative material, is also incombustible under ordinary conditions of use, the design being to produce a decorative material or article as a whole which is essentially heat-resisting or fireproof. It is thus to be understood that by the use of the term heat-resisting herein I designate and limit myself to materials which are known as refractory and which are-consumed or disintegrated only at a relatively high degree of heat greater than that they would be subjected to under ordinary conditions of use. The preferred composition used for this purpose is shellac, talc, and coloring-matter. In lieu of talc, however, fullers earth may sometimes be employed.

The design is more or less flexible and collapsible, even when the pattern is comparatively close and intricate. It is the function of the composition B to reinforce and sustain the design in an extended condition, so as to display it in its perfection while giving body and weight to the article as a whole. The flexibility of the design facilitates the attainment of an intimate contact between it and the plastic material, which is rendered perfeet and permanent by the subsequent hardening of the substance.

By my invention delicate laces and fabrics may be incorporated into panels, plates, or backings and used for decoration in various ways. The material is adapted to the manufacture of table-mats, book-covers, panels in furniture, doors, &e., and to an infinite variety of uses. It is simple and comparatively cheap, and highly-artistic results may be attained in its manufacture.

The hardening or solidification of the binding composition may be eifectedin any suitable or well-known manner, according to the then elfecting the solidifying thereof, as set forth. 7

2. As an improved article of manufacture, decorative material comprising a frail openwork design embedded in a mass composed of shellac, talc and coloring-matter in imitation of inlaid work.

WVALTER E. COLEMAN.

WVitnesses:

D. W. GARDNER, GEO. WM. MIATT. 

